Husband of Mrs Salome Abuh, the Women Leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ochadamu, Ofu LGA of Kogi State, who was allegedly killed and set ablaze in her home by suspected political thugs, Elder Simeon Abuh, has called for justice in the case.
The family, in a statement signed by the bereaved husband, noted that the brutal murder of Mrs Salome Abuh and the destruction of properties were premeditated.
The culprits, they said, were known to members of the community.
The statement read: “On Saturday, 16th of November 2019, at the Ochadamu Primary School Polling Unit, one, Someone in the company of other boys told me that he was going to deal with my younger brother, Gowon Abuh, who is a strong supporter of the PDP. That he and others were on the payroll of GYB 4+4.
“He further said that this election is for the APC and there is nothing that anyone can do about it. I politely told him that there was no need for this, that we are all brothers, we all drank the same flowing river, went to the same playing ground in the community and we shall still remain in the same community, politics notwithstanding.”
“After casting my ballot, I headed home, leaving my wife behind to watch the electoral process. After some time, my brother, Gowon ran back home to inform me that some people were beating my wife where she was sitting under a shade observing the process and when he (Gowon Abuh) and other people tried to intervene, they attempted to stab him and he had to run back home.
“As we were still talking, one Elder Samuel Salami Agbali brought my wife on his motorcycle to our compound and advised that we rush her to hospital. I took her to Holy Memorial Hospital, Ochadamu, where she was attended to by one Dr Agama.
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“After the election, I returned to Abuja, where I reside, leaving her behind to rest for few days as advised by the doctor. I was constantly on phone with her.
“On Monday, 18th of November at about 12am my younger brother from Lokoja, Pastor Mark Abuh, called me that there was trouble at home. That thugs were in a drinking joint close to our house boasting on how they were going to deal with Gowon, our younger brother who narrowly escaped from their attack on Saturday.
“According to his report, Solomon, Gowon’s son, overheard them boasting and pleaded with them on his father’s behalf to forget about the incident. At this point one of them, picked up a bottle and started pursuing Solomon, while pursuing Solomon, he tripped and fell on his own knife, which was stucked around his waist, and unfortunately injured himself on the thigh, while Solomon ran home to inform his father (Gowon Abuh) of what had ensued. Meanwhile, Zekeri Awalu was rushed to Holy Memorial Hospital at Ochadamu,” it added.
He explained that after the conversation with his brother, Pastor Mark Abuh, he immediately put a call home to Ojonugwa Alhassan, a cousin, who informed him that he was at the hospital where the injured person was being attended to.
According to him: “The hospital, after administering first aid treatment requested for a police report before further treatment. While the doctors were waiting for the police report, friends of the injured got agitated and moved him to another hospital where he lost his life.
“When the news of his death filtered into the town, angry APC supporters came to the town chanting GYB 4+4, and shooting sporadically. People scampered for safety and the APC supporters headed to my house where my wife was resting, unaware of what was happening in the community. The supporters surrounded my house, shooting sporadically and further set the house ablaze and burnt my wife to death and completely burnt down the entire buildings in my compound.
“Afterwards, the APC supporters headed to four other houses in the community, who are known PDP supporters and burnt down their houses.”
